Tuesday, January 20, the beginning of the astronomical month of Shaban

The International Astronomy Center confirmed that Islamic countries are paying great attention to observing the crescent of the month of Shaban, in preparation for the blessed month of Ramadan, as it will fall on Sunday, January 18, 2026, the twenty-ninth day of the month of Rajab 1447 AH, in many countries of the Islamic world, and on this day it is impossible to see the crescent of the month of Shaban from all regions of the Islamic world due to the setting of the moon before sunset, and accordingly these countries will complete the number of days of the month of Rajab, and it will be on Tuesday. January 20 is the first day of the month of Shaban.

Director of the International Astronomy Center, Engineer Muhammad Shawkat Odeh, said: “While there are some Islamic countries in which the twenty-ninth of the month of Rajab will be Monday, January 19, and among these countries are: Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, the Sultanate of Oman, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Albania, and seeing the crescent of the month of Shaaban on Monday is possible in most countries of the Islamic world using a telescope only, with viewing with a telescope being very difficult in Australia, Europe, Asia and East Africa, as viewing with a telescope becomes possible relatively easily from central West and South Africa and parts of the Americas, and the crescent moon is easily visible with the naked eye from the center of the American continents only. Accordingly, most of these countries are expected to begin the month of Shaban on Tuesday, January 20 as well, while the beginning of Shaban in some of them is expected to be on Wednesday, January 21.


Shawkat added: “With regard to the position of the crescent on Monday, January 19, in some Arab and Islamic cities, the surface calculations of the crescent at sunset are as follows: In Jakarta, the moon sets 30 minutes after sunset, and its age is 16 hours and 26 minutes. In Abu Dhabi, the moon sets 35 minutes after sunset, and its age is 17 hours and 56 minutes. In Riyadh, the moon sets 36 minutes after sunset, and its age is 18 hours and 18 One minute. In Amman and Jerusalem, the moon sets 37 minutes after sunset, and it is 18 hours and 35 minutes old. In Cairo, the moon sets 38 minutes after sunset, and it is 18 hours and 48 minutes old. In Rabat, the moon sets 43 minutes after sunset, and it is 20 hours and 32 minutes old. Seeing the crescent from all the above areas is possible using a telescope only, with a weak possibility of seeing it with the naked eye with great difficulty from Rabat and the south. Kingdom of Morocco.

He continued: “To know the meanings of these numbers, it is worth noting that the minimum duration of the crescent that could be seen with the naked eye was 29 minutes, while the minimum duration of the crescent that could be seen with the naked eye was 15 hours and 33 minutes. It is not sufficient for the crescent’s duration and age to exceed these values ​​to be able to see it, as the visibility of the crescent is related to other factors such as its angular distance from the sun and its distance from the horizon at the time of observing it.”

Shawkat pointed out that to learn about the results of observing the crescent, you can visit the website of the Islamic Crescent Observing Project of the International Astronomy Center on the Internet at the address ( ). He pointed out that the attached map shows the extent of the possibility of seeing the crescent on Monday, January 19, from all regions of the world, so that:
It is impossible to see the crescent from the areas in red because the moon sets before sunset or because surface conjunction occurs after sunset.
It is not possible to see the crescent moon either with a telescope or with the naked eye in the non-colored areas.
– Seeing the crescent moon is only possible using a telescope from areas located in blue.
It is possible to see the crescent moon using a telescope from the areas located in pink, and it is possible to see the crescent moon with the naked eye if the atmosphere is completely clear and observed by an experienced observer.
It is possible to see the crescent moon with the naked eye from areas in green.